Valve mechanism for steam-traps.



No. 734,144. PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

' G. P. STOGKER. I

VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM TRAPS; APPLICATION rum) JAN. 21. 1003.

no 1101121.. 1 s SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

G. P STOGKER. VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM TRAPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. 1903.

L E D 0 M 0 H I/wczzwr, George? SZbciner No. 734,144. 7 PATENTED JULY21, 1903.

I G. P. STOGKER.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR STEAM TRAPS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. 1903.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

N0 MODEL.

.closed,as before.

UNITED STATES Iatented July 21,1963

' ATE -T OFFICE.

VALVE 'M E CHANlM FOR STEAM-TRAPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 734,144, dated July 21,1903. Application filed January 21, 1903. Serial No. 139,978. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I, GEORGE P. STOCKER, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residingatEvansville, Vanderburg county, Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Valve Mechanism for Steam-Trapsand the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to valve mechanism adapted for use in steam-traps,hydraulic pumps, water-closets, steam-separators, and the like, and hasreference particularly to means for controlling the operation of the--outlet-valve, inlet-valve, or both, so that the said valve or valveswill be held against gradual operation while the'conditions within thetrap pumping-chamber, or flushing-tank, as the case may be, aregradually changing, and when the predetermined point in the changingconditions is reached the valve mechanism will be released to change itsrelation quickly. For instance, as applied to a steamtrap my inventionis to hold the outlet-valve closed until the water of condensation hasreached the predetermined upper level,when the outlet-valveautomatically opens and is held positively and immovably in this openposition until the water has passed out from the trap and thepredetermined lower level has been reached,when the valve will beantomatically released and the outlet will be out in connection withahydraulic air-pump, in which embodiment of my invention, however, theoutlet-Valve is held closed and the inlet-valve for the water is heldopenuntil the water forced under pressure into the hydraulic air-pumpchamber through the inlet-- closed-and the inlet water-valve isautomatically opened, air being drawn into the pump-chamber through anair-inlet valve as View of the outlet-valve.

This same principle I carry is a perspective view of my invention asembodied in a steam-trap, parts of the casing being broken away. Fig. 2is a sectional Fig. 3 is a detail plan view. Fig. 4 is a view of theinvention as embodied in a hydraulic air-pump, said ,view showing thecasing or chamber in section with partsiu side elevation. Fig. 4: is adetail of valves used on the pump. Fig. 5is a perspective view of theinvention as applied to a flushing-tank for water-closets.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, 1 indicates the shell or casingof the steam-trap, having a bottom plate 2 secured thereto by bolts 3.The bottom'plate is provided with legs 4, cast on its under side,- tosupport the trap at a slight distance above the supporting-surface. Thesteam enters at the inletopening 5. ,6 indicates an air-dischargeopening, which may be provided with an ordinary air-cock, which isopened when the steamtrap is first put in service, so as to let out allair from the casing or chamber 1, after which the air-cock is closed.The outlet-opening for the water is shown at 7, it being formed througha nipple 8, which is formed with a nut 9, screwed onto the upper end ofthe outlet pipe 10, which projects through and slightly above the bottom2 of the trap, a locknut 11 on the under side of the bottom plateserving to hold thepipe in place.

The outlet-valve consists of a disk of rubber 12, held by a screw-cap12, as shown in Fig. 2, to a stem '13, pivotally connected to anddepending from an arm 14:, which in turn is pivoted at 15 to the upperend of a standard 16, screwed to the bottom plate 2. The valve isadapted to seat itself upon the up per end of the nipple 8, and thusclose 'the outlet-opening 7. To the arm-14: at or near its free end ispivoted a long arm 17, the pivotal point 17 being on the lower side ofthe arm 14, sothat the long arm 17, which carries the large fioat 18,will be free to fall downthe inlet-valve for the water, so as to hold Iwardly after the valve 12 is seated upon the nipple 8 and theoutlet-opening is closed. The end of the arm 14 carries a knob or weight19, which is suificiently heavy to insure the proper seating of theoutlet-valve, and from this end of the short arm 14 guide-fingers 20extend downwardly, so as to embrace the arm 17 forward of its pivotalpoint to sustain the same laterally. The long arm 17, with its float, iscontrolled by latch means, which is adapted to hold the said long arm inits extreme positions until certain predetermined conditions have beenarrived at in the chamber or casing 1. As shown in Fig. 1, the long arm17, with the large float 18, is in its lowermost position,and at thistime the outlet-valve is closed. \Ve will assume that the water ofcondensation arriving with the steam through the steam-inlet5 isgradually filling the charm her. During this operation the float 18 hasa tendency to rise and open the outlet-valve gradually; but thistendency is resisted by the latch means or controller, which comprises alever or arm 21, pivoted at 22, about midway of its length, to astandard 23, secured to the bottom of the trap. The latchlever extendssubstantially vertically, and it is provided with upper and lowercatch-shoulders 24 25. In the position of the parts shown in Fig. 1 thelower catch-shoulder 25 is in the path of the long arm 17. The said longarm will be held down by the latch while the trap is gradually fillingwith water. When a predetermined upper. level is reached, however, thelatch will be operated and the arm 17 will be released, and its floatbeing now free to rise will move so as to float on the surface of thewater at its upper level, and this action will quickly open theoutlet-valve for the discharge of the water from the trap. This releaseof the arm 17 upon the water reaching its upper travel is due to theaction of a supplemental float 26, whose arm 27 is pivoted in ears 28 onthe standard 23, the said arm having a projection 29 extending therefromto engage a cam-shoulder or incline 30 on the latch, so that as thewater reaches its upper level the supplemental float 26 will rise,causing the projection on the float-arm to work against the cam orincline on the latch, thus swinging the same on its pivot to withdrawthe lower catch or shoulder 25 from the path of the arm 17, which nowrises freely to its uppermost position. The change in the po sition ofthe latch just described not only releases the lower catch from thefloat-arm, but it also sets the upper catch or shoulder 24 of the saidlatch in position to engage the said arm 17 when the float 18 rises tothus hold the float up with the outlet-valve open until a predeterminedlower level of the Water is reached, when the arm 17 will be againreleased, so that it, with its float, will fall and the outlet-valvewill close. This second release of the arm 17 and float from theiruppermost position is caused by a second supplemental float 30, the arm31 of which is pivoted at 32 to the standard 23, the said arm having aprojection 33 to bear on the latch as the float falls, and thus throwoutward the lower end of the latch with its catch or shoulder 25 inposition to obstruct the rise of the arm 17 from its lowermost position,in which the outlet-valve is closed. The upper supplemental float 26 islimited in its downward movement by a projection 34 on the end of itsarm arranged to strike the face of the standard 23, while the lowermostfloat 30 is limited in its rising movement by a projection 35, extendingfrom the standard in the path of the float-arm. These floats, it will benoticed, act alternately to swing the latchfor instance, as the waterrises in the trap the lower float will rise until it is limited by itsstop-pin, and it will be now out of operation as against the latch. Thecontinued rise of the water will elevate the upper float, and this alonewill be efiective against the latch. As the water falls and the upperfloat, falls correspondingly its projection will be withdrawn from thelatch, and it will be stopped in a predetermined position by the stopprojection 34 before mentioned. This upper float will now be out ofaction and will have no influence on the latch until the water againrises; but during the continued fall of the water the lower float willbe thrown into action to swing the latch so as to engage and hold thelong arm 17 and the float 18 in their lowermost position when they fallthereto.

Briefly stated,the operation consistsin positively holding the float 18and its long arm down while the trap is filling with water, to thusallow the outlet-valve to remain fully closed during this time, and whenthe predetermined quantity of water is collected in the trap the largefloat 18, with its arm 17, is released, so that the same quickly risesto the upper water-level, and thus opens the outletvalve quickly for thedischarge of the water, and this valve will then be held open positivelyuntil the predetermined lower waterlever is reached, because thelargefloat,with its arm 17, will now be held in its uppermost positionpositively by the latch, and when the lower water-level is reached theseparts will be released and will fall, so as to allow the outlet-valve toclose quickly.

One important feature of myinvention relates to the joint connectionbetween the arm 17 and the short arm 14. These parts may be regarded asone arm for the purpose of operating the outlet-valve, said arm having ajoint intermediate of its length. The purpose of this joint is to insurethe perfect closing of the outlet-valve, as it will be noticed that thisvalve is in a measure independent of the large float and its arm 17. Inother words, the float and its arm 17 are allowed an excess of downwardmovement, or a movement beyond that which is necessary to seat theoutlet-valve. The outlet-valve is seated by the weight of the arm 14 andits knob or weight 19.

.It will be noticed that the arm of the upper supplemental float extendssubstantially parallel with the arm of the large float, while the arm ofthe lower supplemental float extends in a direction substantiallytransversely of the arms of the other float. By this arrangement eachfloat has a field of action out of line with the other float, so thatthere is no interference.

In Fig. 4 I show the invention as applied to a hydraulic air-pump. Thisapparatus is like thatjust described in its general feature, difieringmainly in having an inlet-valve for the pressure-water controlled by thelarge float and its arm 17, which controls also the outlet-valve. Inthis form of the invention the inlet for the air is shown at 35, havingan air-check valve 35 of any known form, which allows the air to enterthe hydaulic air-pump to prevent its discharge through this port. 36 isthe air-outlet opening, in which an air-check valve 36 of any known formis inserted to allow the air to pass from the pump-chamber, but preventsits passing backinto the same. has associated therewith a float-valvedevice 36 of any known form,which closes automatically should thehydraulic air-pump fail to work properly and fill up entirely withwater, thereby preventing any water from passing through the air-outletopening in that event. These check and float valves form no part of myinvention and are not, therefore, disclosed in detail. The inlet for thewater under pres-- sure is indicated at 37, it comprising a nip-V plesecured to the bottom of the casing or chamber and having ports 38 forthe inflow of the pressure-water. The nipple is held by the pipe 37screwed into it,lock-nuts 37 beingused to complete the fastening. Aconical valve 39 is carried by a stem 40, having a pin-and slotconnection 41 with the short arm 14', which is pivoted to the standard16and is pivoted also at 17 to the long arm 17 of the large float 18.The outlet-valve in this case is made up of a spherical rubber ball 42,connected to the arm 14 and adapted to a seat on a nipple 43 at theoutlet-opening held by lock-nuts 43. The latch and floats controllingthe same are similar in construction and arrangement in this form of theinvention to that previously described and need no specific explanationfurther than to say that when the outlet-valve is closed the inlet-valveis open. The pres sure-water rushingin through the inlet-valve willcompress and force out the air through the air-outlet valve until thewater reaches a certain height, when the large float audits arm 17 willbe released and will rise from their lowermost position, thus quicklyopening the discharge-valve and closing the inletvalve. They will beheld in their uppermost This air-check valve also quickly closing thedischarge-valve and opening the inlet-valve for the pressure-water.

In Fig. 5 I show the adaptation of my invention to a flushing-tank forWater-closets. In this figure the standard 23 is substantially the sameas that before described; but the latch is of different form in that itis pro vided with a Weight 45, attached rigidly by an arm 46, the saidWeight acting to swing the latch so that its catchor shoulder 44willloverlie the long arm 46, which is connected with the inlet-valveand which has thereon the float 47. This latch has a cam or incline 48,similar to that before described, arranged to be operated by aprojection on the arm 31 of a float 30', these parts being similar tothose before described,so that when the water rushing in through theinlet-valve reaches the predetermined height the float 30 will be raisedto cause its projection to work against the cam of the latch and throwsaid latch from over the large float-arm, so that the same may quicklyrise to close the inlet-valve.

I claim as my-invention- 1. In combination, a valve, a main floatconnected thereto by a joint allowing independent movement of the mainfloat after the valve has been seated, means for holding the main floatwith the valve in one position until a certain level of the liquid hasbeen reached and a supplemental float for releasing the said main floatfrom the holding means, said valve closing when the float falls,substantially as described.

2. In combination with a valve, a main float connected therewith by ajointed arm allowing independent movement of the float after the valveis seated, a 'latch for holding the main float with the valve in oneposition until a predetermined level of liquid has been reached andmeans for controlling the said. latch to release the main floattherefrom, said latch acting upon the section of the jointed arm whichhas the independent movement, I

float with the valve in position until the water reaches a certain levelandmeans for con trolling the latch to swing the same, substantially asdescribed.

5. In combination, a valve, a main float, a pivoted latch controllingthe main float in both of its upper and lower positions to retain thefloat with the valve in position until the water reaches a certain leveland means for controlling the latch to swing the same, said meanscomprising a pair of supplemental floats, substantially as described;

6. In combination, a valve, a main float connected therewith, acontroller for the said main float and a supplemental float supportedindependently of the said controller and arranged to operate the samewhen moved one way and means for limiting the movement of the saidsupplemental float in the opposite direction, said stop means arrestingthe float intermediate of the extreme levels of the liquid,substantially as described.

7. In combination, a Valve, a main float connected therewith, acontroller for the main float and a pair of supplemental floatssupported independently of and operating the said controlleralternately, substantially as described.

8. In combination, a valve, a main float connected therewith, acontroller for the main float and a pair of supplemental floatssupported independently of and operating the said controller alternatelyand stop means for each float to arrest the same in inoperativeposition, substantially as described.

9. In combination, a valve, a controller to hold the said valve ineither its open or closed positions, and a pair of floats with means foroperating the controller when the water reaches a predetermined level,substantially as described.

10. In combination, a valve, a single latch controlling the operation ofthe same, a float causing movement of the latch in one direction andmeans for moving the latch in the other direction, substantially asdescribed.

11. In combination, a valve, a latch controlling the operation of thefloat both to open and close the valve and a pair of floats controllingthe position of the latch, said floats operating at differentwater-levels, substantially as described.

12. In combination, a valve, a main float, a controller for the mainfloat and a pair of supplemental floats, one of which extends with itsarm substantially parallel with the main float and the other of whichextends with its arm at right angles to that of the] main float, saidsupplemental floats being arranged to operate the controller,substantially as described.

13. In combination, a valve, a main float, a latch having a cam-inclinethereon and arranged to control the main float and a supplement-a1 floathavinga portion to act against the said cam-incline, said latch andsupplemental float having pivotal movement in planes at right angles toeach other, substantially as described.

14. In combination with a valve,a float controlling the same, said valveclosing when the float falls and a jointed connection between said floatand valve allowing said float to have additional movement after thevalve is seated, substantially as described.

15. In combination, a valve and a float connected therewith, said valveclosing when the float falls, said float being adapted to have movementindependently of the valve after the same is seated, and in the samedirection in which the float moves for seating the valve, substantiallyas described.

16. In combination, a valve, a floatcontrolling the same adapted to haveindependent movementafter the valve is seated and means for controllingthe operation of the float, said valve closing when the float falls,substantially as described.

17. In combination with a valve, a float having a jointed-arm connectionbetween the same and the valve and means for controlling the float, saidvalve closing when the float falls, substantially as described.

18. In combination with a valve, a float, a jointed-arm connectionbetween the float and valve whereby the float may have movement afterthe valve is seated, a latch for controlling the float and a float foroperating the latch, said valve closing when the float falls,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE P. STOOKER.

Witnesses:

NICHOLAS KoHL, HARRY J. SABEL.

